


i'm going to pack up my things and leave you behind

by iwillwalk500miles



Series: and the lights will flicker (as the days go quicker) [3]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: (or unlife if you want to be specific), Bella likes to eat snacks more than she likes talking to people, Bisexual Bella Swan, Bro-bonding, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Love, Edward is a sad boi, F/F, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Mutual Pining, Vampires, alice is only slightly jealous, bella is a sad gurl, coming into feelings, edward knows better, emmett makes bad life choices, emmett puts everything in his mouth, jasper is not ready, learning how to love each other, rosalie thinks they're all idiots, they are both disasters that will probably never change, this does, what happens when you take a bunch of vampires to a grocery store
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-04-23 01:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillwalk500miles/pseuds/iwillwalk500miles
Summary: Family dynamics have always been a little bit of a mystery to Bella, luckily for her, the Cullens decide to host a movie night one day.or,Bella learns that not all families are blood.





	i'm going to pack up my things and leave you behind

The prospect of kissing Rosalie Hale was not something she could have ever expected gracing her brain as an actual experience, an actual memory of something she had done, of something that had been done to her. It was wonderful, then of course Rosalie had to go and ruin it by avoiding her for a whole week. Bella was entirely willing to leave the past in the past, entirely prepared to dig a whole and sort of just lay in it forever, but then Alice had to invite her over.

For a brief moment in time she actually considered declining, perhaps she would make up a story, or just not-- just say, 'gee I'm real sorry Alice, but your sister kissed me and it's been so much awkward coming from that end of your family's vampire spectrum, maybe next Tuesday?'

Luckily (or maybe unluckily, Bella still cannot tell) her mother had interrupted her musings.

The gist of the conversation went a little like this:

"Hey sweetie, thanksgiving break is coming up and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and Phil on a trip to Toronto? You don't have to, you if you don't want to." (The last part definitely meant that Bella had no choice in the matter, and that her mother would continue to bug and call until either Charlie gave up and sent her on her way or Bella felt guilty enough to disregard her discomfort for traveling.)

So anyway she left first thing on Saturday, only to return on Thursday, in which she was promptly kidnapped from her own home by both Emmett and Alice, and practically dragged into the Cullen's living room.

"So Bella," Carlisle started innocently, "How was the trip?"

Her brain short-circuited for a moment, "Fine." Her voice was little more than a squeak, perhaps she should join drama class the next year, if only to find a way to lie without being too obvious.

"That's a wonderful idea!" It's Alice. "You're reasoning for your participation, however, leaves much to be desired."

Edward nods along, thoughtfully. "It _could_ come in handy with her future." Bella almost cooed, he was trying to defend her, it was kind of sweet. "Anyway, let's not talk about what happened on her _trip_ \--" his deflection was tactless but Bella almost gave into the impulse of hugging him anyway, "--when we have much more, _wonderful_ things to discuss." Edward cringed slightly, he was _trying_ so very hard.

Jasper, perhaps sensing his embarrassment, said, "We were going to have a family movie night tomorrow, we wondered if you'd join us."

Perhaps the Cullen kids considering her as an unofficial sibling should have been expected. However, in Bella's defense, she had not been paying attention to her almost-brothers when Rosalie Hale had decided to kiss her face. Rose is distracting sometimes alright? You can't really blame Bella for not realizing she was apart of the family until it was spelled out for her. 

(It also didn't help that she had to visit her mother for an entire week.)

"You guys have a movie night?" Bella asks curiously, "Why haven't I heard about this?"

It's Alice who rolls her eyes. "Are you joking? I've been dropping hints for _weeks_."

The human girl blinks, "You have?"

Jasper sighs, and grabs onto Alice before she can latch onto Bella and shake her shoulders. "Yes she has, but in your defense--" He shoots her a look, like he knows what she's been thinking. It hits her then, that maybe he sort of _does_. He is an empath after all, whatever blocks her from Edward doesn't _really_ block Jasper.

Bella cringes momentarily. It's kind of uncomfortable for a moment, knowing that he's been feeling the left over residue from her mother's home. She hopes she hadn't felt anything too draining, Jasper has so much to deal with as it is, he doesn't need _her_ emotions on top of every other one he's feeling. The blonde teenager smiles at her, almost saying that it was alright, that he didn't mind feeling what she did now and then if only to lesson the pain and help brew understanding with one another.

"Right..." Edward interrupts, eyeing Jasper with an emotion that Bella can't quite identify. "Anyway, movie night, are you going to be able to join us Bella?"

She thinks for a moment, wondering if she can convince Charlie to head out with some of his fisherman buddies. How would she even breach that topic? _'Hey dad can I go to my sort-of crush's house? Her vampire family invited me to movie night, no don't worry they don't actually drink human blood-- dad why are you getting out your shotgun?'_

"I'll figure something out." She says, considering momentarily, "What movie are we going to watch?"

The vampires exchanged panicked looks, like they actually hadn't considered her saying yes to them.

"You can decide." Rosalie barely glances up from her magazine, "It's your first time joining after all."

Bella can't quite keep the wicked grin off of her face. "Anything?" 

Realizing her mistake, Rosalie pauses. She slowly puts down what she was reading, and turns to face her. Bella felt she was ready for whatever the girl had decided to throw at her, the blonde had ghosted her for an entire week after all, she can't just expect Bella to instantly succumb to her _wiles_ \--

She blinks, a splotchy blush covering her cheeks and ears. "That's cheating!" She complained halfheartedly, "And you don't even know what movie I was going to choose!"

The blonde vampire smiles slightly, and Bella has no choice but to avert her gaze from the beautiful woman in front of her. She's never been good at _looking_ , that wasn't going to change any time soon. There might be a reason for that, a reason she can't stand to look Rosalie in the eye sometimes, but she doesn't want to think about it right that moment. 

"Whatever." She mumbled, looking at her shoes. They were green. "I know what movie we can watch," Her grin goes crooked, and she finds the courage to look her _sort-of-almost-girlfriend_ in the eyes, "Or more accurately, what movie franchise, luckily for you, I happen to own _all_ of them."

Alice goes still. "Dear god, Bella what are you doing with _all_ of them?"

"How dare you? Those films are absolute _masterpieces_!" Bella exclaims, placing a hand over her heart.

"I _have_ heard good things about the soundtrack." Edward mumbled thoughtfully. Bella doesn't fight the instinct to pull him into a hug, this time.

 

\---

 

"Are we going to talk about it?" Alice asks on the ride back home, watching Bella from the corner of her eye, "Because we could talk about it if you wanted to--"

Bella smiles, a little rueful, a little defeated. "What subject have you decided to bring up?"

Her tiny vampire friend frowns, only a little, before her gaze turns insightful. "Bella, there are so many things, so many issues and problems that we could talk to each other about. There are literally millions of possibilities, millions of subjects you could decide to confide in me about, and still I'd never truly know if it mattered to you as much anyone else." 

She swallows, and hopes her voice doesn't sound too rough. "What does that mean?"

"Bella." Alice chastised pulling up outside the Swan household. "You know."

"Do I?" Bella asks, as if she does not know what her best friend is talking about, as if she cannot comprehend the desperation in Alice's gentle almond shaped eyes or the absolute acceptance for words she hasn't quite said or thought of yet.

"Truly?" Alice asks her, when Bella nods, she sighs. "In truth there is no _sure_ way that I can know what you essentially find or realize in the interactions of those that surround us, of the events that happen to you and not. But I know from when I observe in the actions you have already made, the ones that I did not see, and that have already come to pass, that you most likely have understood the baggage that comes with the words I tell you, and the ones I do not." She breaks off for a moment, looking as old as she actually was. "You're my _best_ _friend_ , you have chosen me, in which I have chosen you-- anything you tell me, whether or not I like and appreciate it, can never make me not choose _you_." 

Bella nods, and grabs a random problem from the tree that had erupted inside her chest. It's the biggest branch she can see, the worst one to remove from her in that moment, one that she has held onto for much longer than she's know Alice.

"Are you sure?" When Bella nods, the other girl smiles. "Okay. Now let's talk about why you came home early."

 

\---

 

"Hello Chief Swan." Alice chimes from on top of the counter, "It's nice to see you again." 

Charlie smiles fondly, and Bella rolls her eyes slightly. Her father had already decided that Alice could do no wrong, unlike Edward or Rosalie, who had been the reason for her abrupt panic that one time a homicidal vampire was hunting her. (Of course he didn't know about the vampire part, but Charlie Swan was an astute man, and had noticed the way that Bella had cringed at the mention of the two when she got back home from the hospital.)

"Hello Alice." He said pleasantly, "I hope Bella hasn't been giving you too much trouble."

"How dare you, father." She says, stirring her pot of spaghetti (Mrs. Cullen once told her that pasta was easier on vampire noses, for whatever reason). "All have you know that I've been a perfect hostess, dare I say the absolute best-est."

"I don't think 'best-est' is an actual word." Charlie quipped, taking off his coat and setting it on the rack, he turned to Alice, looking entirely too solemn. "You don't have too lie for my daughter Alice, you can tell me the truth."

Her friend visibly considered his offer momentarily, "Do I get to pick the next board game we play on Saturday?" (Bella had invited her to the Swan house weekly game showdowns.)

Charlie grinned, "If you tell me what Bella's been getting up to, I'll let you pick three game nights in a row." 

Bella didn't miss the subtle invitation to more Swan family activities.

Alice, delighted at not one, but three games of her choosing shot up next to her dad, sticking out a tiny pale hand. "You've got yourself a deal, Chief!"

The human girl groaned aloud, hiding a tiny smile as Alice and Charlie shook determined hands.

 

\---

 

"Snacks! Snacks! Snacks!" Bella chanted, along with Emmett and a disgruntled Jasper, she could practically feel Rosalie's eyes roll as she drove.

Alice from her position on Bella's lap, her legs extending on her husband's, hummed quietly. "You know none of us can actually eat them, right?"

"Not with that attitude!" Emmett and Bella chorused together, giving each other a high five.

It takes everyone in the car a minute to actually comprehend what Emmett had just agreed too. " _Wait wait wait wait_ \--" Alice started as Emmett and Bella giggle together. " _No_ \--"

"Yes!" The two disaster twins chorused. 

"Emmett promised to help her eat a tub of ice-cream," Edward explains from the front seat. His frown makes everyone in the car still. "To make up for her not being able to get any the last family event she attended."

The atmosphere in the car felt loaded suddenly, and even though it was entirely unnecessary all vampires seemed to shift awkwardly. All vampires except Rosalie, whose grip simply tightened on the wheel.

Bella coughed awkwardly. "Snacks?" Her voice fell flat, but somehow managed to insert some life back into her self-proclaimed family. 

"Right--" Edward started. "--I heard Erik Yorkie talk about something called, _err_ , sour patch kids?"

"I love you." Bella immediately said, "Did you actually listen in on every conversation I had with them to find out what food I might like?"

"...No."

"He did." Alice remarked, "He also spent a week reading the minds of all your friends during lunch, and even had a nice discussion with Jessica Stanley about your favorite snack food."

"Ooh--" Bella crooned, "How did _that_ go?"

"She was conflicted on whether or not to ask about--" Alice made a noise, wiggling her eyebrows and doing a series of finger guns, "--and telling Edward to take off his shirt."

Bella's laughter could be heard from inside the cars that surrounded them. She ignored the fact that Jessica had asked about Rosalie.

 

\---

**_MISSION ONE: CHIPS AND SODA W/ ALICE & EDWARD_ **

\---

 

"First things first--" Bella starts dramatically, leading both Edward and Alice by the hand to the chips, "-- _funyuns_." 

Edward frowned, "That is not a word."

"It is to me--" She said, shooting the redheaded teen a hurt expression. "I know you don't eat, but come _on_ , they're funyuns!"

"They're..." He trailed off, his eyebrows furrowing, "...funyuns."

"I wish you weren't so fucking awkward bud." Bella says, "I've just come to the realization that you can't eat pizza. _Everything_ is hurting, I need some milk."

"What does _milk_ have to do with--" Alice's eyes glazed over momentarily, "--please tell me you weren't planning on playing vines for an hour after we watched your movie."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bella said shooting her a glare over her shoulder, "And now I have to force feed Emmett funyuns, because he's never eaten them before, I hope your proud of yourself."

"Why?" Edward asked, "Emmett can't digest them."

"He has fun trying." Bella responded, grabbing a bag of funyuns and placing them in the small red basket. "Don't make me shove them into your mouth."

Edward frowned while Alice snickered, "Please don't."

She smiled, "Okay now it's test time-- what should I grab for drinks?"

"You mean drink, singular." Edward said.

"I will force soda and mentos down your throat if you don't stop messing with my funky fresh flow." She warned.

Alice laughed, before pausing and becoming serious. "She actually will, oh my god."

Edward, haunted with whatever visions he'd seen from Alice's mind. "Um-- um, orange soda?"

Bella narrowed her eyes at Alice, who shifted uncomfortably. "Did you--"

"Okay I told him!" She threw herself to Bella's feet gripping her knees, "Forgive me!"

"Holy shit-!" Bella wobbled over, back hitting Edward's chest. "Ally-Belly _stop_!"

She looked up, almond eyes almost watery. "Did you just nickname me? Oh my goodness."

"I will revoke the nickname if you do not get up."

Alice shot up immediately.

 

\---

**_MISSION TWO: CANDY & PASTRIES W/ JASPER & EMMETT_ **

\---

 

"Emmett! Emmett, do you think you can eat this?" Jasper runs up to his brother, shoving a pack of skittles into his hands. "Bella says they taste like rainbows-- I want to try them but I also don't."

Bella laughs, making Emmett sigh. "Am I going to regret this Bella-bear?"

"Probably." She admits, adding, "But they do taste really good if you have human taste-buds." 

Jasper hums, pulling out another candy bar. "What about this one?"

Bella wrinkles her nose. "My mom likes those." Personally she didn't like the coconut on the chocolate.

He nodded, placing it back, "Do you like Snickers better or Three Musketeers."

"Nougat." Bella responded absentmindedly, silently comparing the sugar cookies to the peanut butter ones. "Nougat is always better."

Jasper nodded, "I will remember that." He slipped the Three Musketeers into the basket Emmett was holding.

"Em, what kind of cookies do you want to try?" Bella asked.

"I liked peanuts before." He said, "Maybe they won't taste so bad now?"

"I appreciate your optimism, brother!" Bella shouted, saluting, "Now let's go eat some _nerds_!" She saw the freaked out looks on both vampires faces. "They're a type of candy guys, a type of _candy_ \--"

 

\---

_**MISSION THREE: ??? W/ ROSALIE ~~& ALICE~~** _

~~~~\---

 

"I thought Alice was getting down with us?" Bella asked. 

Rosalie tossed her hair over her shoulder, rolling her eyes and looking under her nails. "She got caught up." (Bella finds out later that Rose had shoved Alice into the back of her car and forced Emmett to distract her.) The blonde vampire shifts, uncomfortable suddenly. "Unless you'd rather her be here."

Bella scrambles. "That's uh, not what I meant, only that when Alice is left unsupervised, strange things tend to happen? I mean if you want I can go get her if er... that's the best course of action--" Rosalie eyes her curiously, "--or whatever, is it getting hot in here?"

"You're acting strange." She comments idly, watching the human girl from the corner of golden eyes. "Out with it."

"I always act strange." Bella protests, eyeing Rosalie carefully, "Why is it this time you've decided to notice?"

"I _notice_." The blonde snaps back too quickly, clenching her fists and shoving her hands into her red leather jacket.

"I didn't mean to say you didn't." She responded, mumbling. She turned away cautiously, tapping her fingers against her wrist rhythmically. "It's just I'm always awkward around you, why have you decided to talk to me about it now?" Bella walked forward, idly bringing her hands to rest on the snack counter, as if she could pretend that Rosalie's eyes weren't boring into her. At the other girl's silence, a self deprecating smile tugs at her pale pink lips. "I think I'll grab a cinnamon roll, was there anything you wanted to see Emmett eat _mmph_ -!"

She's spun quickly, one hand cradling the side of her jaw and the other resting precariously against her waist. Bella is momentarily stunned, gaping slightly as Rosalie pulls her closer. Distantly, she recognizes how tall the blonde is, the red lipstick that paints her lips, the golden shimmer in her eyes-- basically everything you shouldn't be thinking about. 

"I kissed you, in your room, dressed in wonderfully comfortable pajamas and you _haven't done a thing_ -" Her eyes go darker, Bella can hear the slight desperation in her tone of voice. "--did you honestly not think to ponder my intentions? Honestly believe my _feelings_ for you could be _anything_ but romantic?"

Bella doesn't respond. Perhaps she had been the one running away, not her. Still, something nags in the back of her mind that she couldn't have been the only one at fault. Oblivious to her inner turmoil Rosalie continues, honeyed words of nineteenth century romance spilling from her red rose lips.

"Perhaps you haven't noticed--" She goes on, "--but I care for you, my family, cares for you. Surely you can deduce where your person lays in my heart with certain fondness? You've stumbled onto monsters," a bitter laugh, "but you cannot see when someone begins to adore you?" Rosalie is smiling suddenly, shaking her head with silent laughter like she couldn't believe the place she was, confessing an age old love of two souls bound together in the snack section of a supermarket. "Truly Isabella Swan, you remain exceptionally unobservant."

Bella closes her eyes, leaning her forehead on Rosalie's shoulder. Her breath is shaky, ears and cheeks horridly flushed, and yet she still finds it in herself to snark. "It takes two to tango, sugar."

Gentle laughter. " _Perhaps_." Rosalie leans back, smoothing a piece of hair behind Bella's ear. "Perhaps you should never use that term of endearment _ever_ again."

"Too sweet for you? Maybe I should call you something a little bitter?" She ponders seriously, laughing at Rosalie's affronted expression. "Never mind, never opening my mouth ever again."

"Oh," Rosalie grins, a flash of teeth making Bella feel dizzy, "How would I ever survive?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Emmett probably spends the next five days throwing up, Jasper films the entire thing to show Bella.  
> (They watched the Shrek movies; when Mongo died, Esme and Carlisle lowkey started to cry)


End file.
